Electric railway-switch



R. L. JOHNSON.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23. 1920.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

gwuenfoc fioberi finfolzns n- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

Application filed September 23, 1920. Serial No. 412,169.

Toall whom-it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT L. JoHNsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson, State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railway- Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in railway switches.

One object of the invention is to provide a structure wherein one actuation by a car will move the switch point from its position, and the subsequent actuation restore the point to its original position.

Another object is to provide a novel rotatable member connected to the switch point which is connected with a slidable ear actuated means and a spring whereby one actuation of the slidable means moves the rotatable member in one direction while the spring restores the rotatable member to its original position, the point of the switch being moved into and out of closed position.

A further object is to provide a rotatable member connected to a switch point arranged to be turned first in one direction and then in the other, and a spring connected with the rotatable member and arranged to hold the rotatable member in either shifted position.

()ther objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a top plan View of a railway switch showing the invention in position, with the switch point in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal central sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. i

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the center of the disk and the parts connected therewith, on the line l4 of Fig. 2.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, 10 represents the main line rails of a railway, 11 the sidingrails, and 12 the switch point. Mounted between the main line rails, and adjacent the switch point 12, is an elongated metal box 13, which depends below the surface of the ties 1 1, of the railway. Formed in the top of the box, adjacent the intermediate portion of the switch point, is a circular opening 15, and disposed within this opening is a rotatable horizontal disk 16. Pivotally connected to the upper face of the disk, and eccentric-ally thereof, is one end of alink 17, the other end of said link being pivotally connected to the switch point. Secured at one end to the bolt 17, which holds the link 17 on the disk, is a coil spring 18, the other end of said spring being secured to the adjacent end of the box, said spring extending longitudinally between the rails. A vertical pivot pin 19 supports the disk rotatably, and disposed across the lower face of the disk, and having a longitudinal slot 20, receiving the said pin therethrough, is one end of a bar 21 which extends longitudinally in the box 13. The upper face of the other end of the bar 21 has an upwardly extending lug 22, which is disposed through a longitudinal slot23, formed in the adjacent end of the top of the box, and which is adapted to be engaged by the trip arm 24, carried by the car 2 1, shown. in light lines in Fig. 3, of the drawing.

Pivotally mounted on the slidable bar 21, adjacent the disk 16,'is a yoke having the two divergent arms 25, and 26 the outer end of each of which is formed with a nose 27. Rigidly secured to the pivot pin 19, and r0- tatable with the disk is a member 28, in the opposite sides of which are formed the notches 29 and 30, resulting in the adjacent opposite projections 31 and 32, the latter of which are smaller than the former and arranged adjacent the bight of the yoke. The end of the member 28, adjacent the bight of the yoke, and between the smaller lugs or projections 32, is formed with the two inclined and meeting faces 33 and 34:.

On the lower face of the bar 21 are mounted the longitudinally alined guides 35 in which is slidably disposed the stem 36 of the plunger 37, a coil spring 38 being engaged around said stem between one of the guides 35 and the shoulder 39 on the plunger. The forward end of the plunger 37 is formed with a double-beveled nose 40 which engages with the rear pointed end of the yoke for the purpose of holding said yoke in either of its rocked positions.

Carried by the forward end of the bar 21 is a longitudinal and forwardly extending stem 41 which is arranged to slide bemovedto swing the switch point 12.

through a guide 12 mounted on the lower face of the top of the boX 13. A coil spring 43 is engaged around the stem and bears against the guide 4-2 and the adjacent end the plunger 37 engages with one side of the pointed end of the yoke so as to yieldably hold the nose of the arm within the notch 29 of themember 28. The arm 25 will engage with, the projection 31, of the member 28 rocking same and rotating the disk 16 with the result that the arm 17 will As the trip 2'11 passes over the lug 22, and leaves the same, the spring e3 will expand to 'move the bar 21 longitudinally rear wardly into its normal position, with the result that the nose of the arm 25 rides on the other inclined wall of. the notch' 29 of the member 28 rocking the yoke and e11 gaging thenose of its other arm 26 in the notch 30 'readyfor the next operation by the'trip 24 of the can The next car approaching the switch, and which is to take the tracks other than those taken by the previous car, will need to change the switch. The motorman depresses the trip arm 24 so i as to move the bar 21 and again compress the spring 4-3, with the result that the arm will engage the projection 32, torock the member 28 and rotate the disk 16 to swing the point 12. Then, as the bar 21 is permitted to returnto normal position by the expansion of the spring 43, the yoke will be rotated in the other direction and the switch point to'be swung over from the position into which the previous car had moved it. The plunger 37 firmly holds the yoke against rocking movement while advancing forwardly with the bar 21, but permits the yoke to rock upon rearward movement of said bar. Thus, each time the trip arm of a oar moves the bar 21 forwardlythe yoke rocks the member 28 and rotates the disk to throw the switch,,and upon release of the trip arm from the bar, 'the'spring 43 restores the bar to normal setting the yoke.

lVhat is claimed is V A switch point operating mechanism, including a resiliently. held earoperated bar having alongitudinal slot adj acent one end, a reversingpawl 'p'ivotally mounted on and movable with said bar, an. oscillatable disk having a central pivot disposed through the position, re-

slot of the bar and beingoperatively connected with the switch point,'a block secured to one face of thedisk and straddling the bar to permit the bar to slide thereunder, the opposite sides of the block having notches for alternate engagement by the pawl and a resiliently held plunger carried by thefbar for engaging with the pawl for yieldably holding the pawl in alternate engage'ment. with thenotches.

in thepresence of two witnesses. p

; ROBERT L. JOHNSON.

Witnesses: o

' lViLLrAMI-I. AMoNETr, CLAIRE A. BAsKnTTn.

' 1n testimonywhereof, I affix mysignature, 

